“One shot, two shot, three and four, everybody hit the floor” sang Wills. The few zombies and rats in town were too easy to kill but the goblins were pretty fun opponents. Not too many had bows in the horde and they weren’t known for their marksmanship anyhow.

He’d run out of arrows before the gate and the duel had provided some time for him to regenerate some arrows thanks to his latent Archer class.

Using Guided Arrow another guard dropped. The guild was slowly picking off the remaining goblins on the opposite side of the golem. There were three main groups he could make out. The majority around the insane golem, those fighting Drecksis and Reg who were supported by the skeletal guardians, and a few in the back he couldn’t make out too well but were probably guarding the yellow goblin. He should be back on his feet by now.

The guild wasn’t being too aggressive like earlier instead singling out targets and dropping them. Keeping mana up Wills thought. Not a bad strategy but he knew it was only a matter of time. Grabbing another arrow he spotted his next target.

Harkin played an inspirational battle sung with his lute. The only saving grace of the instrument was that it sounded more like an electric guitar then some medieval era creation. Magic in a game, you had to love it.

Only an early level song it gave a slight bonus to attack speed and movement which only four of his guild mates got the largest benefit from but magic enhancing songs for spell casters were beyond Harkin’s reach for now. He launched into a new riff with phantom drums aiding him.

Serion decided the time was right. “Pour it on!”

Half the goblins were down and the golem was a mere shadow of its former self. Flames surrounded it and engulfed the mad thing along with the handful of goblins still fighting it. Corpse explosions started rocking the few clusters of enemies remaining.

“Dreck, Reg, take the golem. Everyone else push to the yellow goblin.”

Caution was dropped and the guild rushed their few enemies remaining. Against the dozen or so goblins left it was a quick and devastating assault. A few ran for their lives but were cut down by Legion’s dead before they made it far.

Drecksis had smashed one of the golem’s legs and it collapsed to the ground. Reg used his sword and axe to deliver a coup de grace to the creature’s neck. Its severed head fell to the ground and the body broke apart into hand size gems.

The whole guild stood around the yellow goblin. Its battered form looked up and its eyes smoldered in absolute hatred. Someone had already stripped it of its horn and sword. If looks could kill Serion thought. Its whole tribe was gone, its summons killed, the dead bodies of its kin lay all around them.

Drecksis strode forward every stride the swagger of a conqueror.

“So what will it be? A nice stab and twist or perhaps the good old head chop?” he asked.

“Neither,” spoke Serion. His guild mates looked at him in wonder, what was their guild leader planning now?

“At level 10 any mage has the option of taking on a familiar. I propose we lock him up in the guild hall for now. Turn him into an ally later. A Beast Master would be a welcome addition to the guild’s ranks,” Serion suggested.

“Any objections?”

“What about the experience we could get off him?” Drecksis asked.

Tombe spoke up. “Severely reduced after the golem betrayed its master, if not for that I’d be all for killing him. Besides a Beast Master would be useful to have around, that Cragasaur went toe to toe with the Dread Carriage. Imagine if we combined the two of them later on.”

No one else spoke up. After a few seconds Drecksis and Reg grabbed an arm apiece and carried the former goblin chieftain towards what was left of the Dread Carriage. Shortly after he was locked up all combat ended they felt the uplifting sensation under the morning sun.

72 Goblin scouts killed. 168 Goblin Warriors killed. 19 Goblin Sneaks killed. 56 Goblin Sentries killed. 43 Goblin Miners killed. 32 Elite Goblin Warriors killed. 3 summoned Dire Wolves killed. 2 summoned Shadow Stalker Spiders killed. 1 Gem Golem killed.

Tactics! Fought and survived against overwhelming odds! 1 Experience point for each enemy.

Purged! Wiped out a level 3 Goblin village! +3000 Experience Points.

Penalties applied due to high level aid.

7,691 Experience Gained.

Congratulations you are now Level 8!

30 stat points awarded.

Your Arcane affinity has grown by 3 to 17!

Your Shadow affinity has grown by 2 to 15!

Serion was amazed, almost 400 goblins! Everybody gained three levels and was well on their way to the next. Serion put 10 points apiece into the 3 ‘mage’ stats.

The guild shortly broke up and started looting corpses for the few valuables they could find. The gem golem was the most valuable prize and several of them sat in piles of rocks throwing them into bags. Legion raised several goblin corpses and had them piling all the metal they could. Later it would be melted down and repurposed for anyone wishing to relevel the Smith profession.

Griggs and Morthius surrounded the Dread Carriage and were discussing what they could do to repair it. The wheel was a quick fix but the rest would take a lot time and magic. Natas had healed the crippled hell steed and the two that were left pulled the cart closer to the battlefield.

Pyron took an expedition back into town to the purpose of looting the goblin encampment. They returned with some valuables but nothing of real note. They reported seeing lone goblins observing them but they made no move to attack, only run away. In time Serion knew the goblin village would start over after taking a new chieftain.

As the noon sun blazed overhead they packed up everything and left Fire Town behind. One more chapter in The Dread Thirteen’s history.

Serion – Level 8 Arcane/Shadow Mage – Guild Leader

Pyron – Level 7 Pyromancer – Guild 2nd

Harkin – Level 7 Bard/Tactician – Guild 3rd

Drecksis – Level 8 Knight/Fallen Paladin

Revenance – Level 8 Ranger/Raider

Morthius – Level 8 Curse Necromancer

Legion – Level 7 Minion Necromancer

Ekra – Level 7 Aquamancer

Wills – Level 7 Aeromancer/Archer

Tombe – Level 8 Terramancer/Duelist

Natas – Level 8 Dark Priest

Reg – Level 7 Warrior/Warlock

Griggs – Level 7 Engineer